VietNamNet Bridge – The 17th Southern Fruit Festival 2013 will open tomorrow in HCM City, providing a link between farmers and processors as well as businesses.

The event is a floating market made of 55 boats that sell more than 180 kinds of fruit at prices 20-40 per cent lower than market prices.

The event was organised by the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with Suoi Tien Culture Tourism Corporation and the city's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

It debuted in 2004 and become a popular cultural tourism event, honoring the agricultural values of the southern region in particular and Viet Nam in general, according to the organisers.

The festival includes a fruit parade, art performances from Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea and Indonesia, fruits depicting graphic arts, gastronomy arts, folk games and sports activities.

The event will attract 240 farmers from 21 provinces and cities.

This year's festival will display many famous trademarks such as Hoang Hau dragon in Long An, Cai Mon durian in Ben Tre, Tan Trieu pomelo in Dong Nai, Vinh Kim seedless guava in Tien Giang, Dang Van Ro green skin pomelo, Binh Phuoc papaya and Hoa Loc sweet mango.

One of the highlights of the event will be "safe and delicious fruit" with more than 700 varieties of 11 kinds of fruits.

The contest aims to encourage farmers to apply advanced technology to produce high-quality varieties of fruit with the best productivity.

Source: VNS